Understanding the Theory of Minimalism in Web Design

Minimalism is the stripping down of a work of art, whether a design or a photograph, to its bare essentials in order to affect the viewer somehow. An image or photograph is made up of a combination of elements: light, shadow, shape, color, space and so on. When one or two of these elements are brought to the forefront of a piece and the others are subdued, the finished product could be called minimalist.

Minimalist web designs are simple and conservative. They are basic, without clutter. The perception of the audience overrules the personal expression of the designer. This doesn’t mean that creating a minimal design requires less effort or expertise than a traditional design. Although simplicity is key, understanding the laws of minimalist design and working within them are necessary.

In a Newspaper, even though the whole story is printed, but what catches our attention is the ‘Headlines’ in minimum words which speaks about the whole content. The same principle is applied here where only the necessary elements are defined and the most important part lies in identifying those ‘Elements’ which are to kept and which need to be ruled out. The maximum usage of Minimalism can be seen while designing portfolios where only the work speaks and not the person.

The Benefits of Minimalism

Audiences today do not have the time to analyze a design and appreciate its complexity and aesthetic brilliance. They prefer things that are easy to comprehend. You might be an expert in Photoshop, capable of creating a design with many shapes, sizes, colors and enhancements, but knowing when and how to use your skills is important. Be conscious of the needs of your client, and don’t overdo your designs.

Minimalist design is becoming more popular, and its benefits are extensive. I will discuss the arguments for minimalist design below.

Humans Are Limited

The human brain is limited in its capacity to process different information simultaneously. A design needs to catch the attention of its visitors immediately as they scan through the pages. If the information on a page is cluttered or complex, then it will be difficult for readers to take in.

Easy Navigation

If your design is too distracting, the audience will not be able to focus. Content is king: your design should not confuse the content. The content should be concise and clear, and the design should be in harmony with it. This will ensure that navigating is easy, enjoyable and fruitful.

The Curiosity Factor

Minimalist designs evoke curiosity in readers, leading them to delight in exploring the information behind links.

Minimalism Saves Time

Working with few elements and features, rather than the hundreds at your disposal, saves time. Compare this to the work of an interior designer: the more furniture there is to arrange, the more complex and time-consuming the work becomes. Your product should be clean, well arranged and spacious.

Minimalism Facilitates Learning

Scarcity brings out the best in a designer. Minimalist design stretches your imagination simply because fewer tools and elements are at your disposal. Restrictions facilitate creativity. Too much freedom can be a hindrance. Minimalism requires you to cut down on personal expression and strip the visual experience to its bare essentials. Once you become skilled in this craft, your clients and readers will be happy that their requirements have been met.

It Sells

Minimalist designs are selling like hot cakes globally. Both readers and clients demand classy, simple and comprehensible websites. The demand for designers who can create effective minimalist designs is growing. Make sure that you are familiar with this trend because it won’t slow down anytime soon. Stand above the competition: be an expert.

Less is More

This web design principle is about keeping things simple. Believing that no space should be left unused on a web page is amateurish.

Keep content and important graphic elements at the forefront. Present a clear flow of information that can easily be absorbed. The more content, colors, textures and graphics in an image, the more likely the audience will misinterpret the design. Balance the graphics, text and white space to ensure an aesthetically pleasing, professional look.

A Purposeful Design

Be clear about the purpose of your website. The colors, textures and graphics you choose need to serve an overall purpose. Minimalist design is in demand because the attention span of Internet users is diminishing. In a matter of seconds, you must catch the eye of viewers before they jump to another website. This is another reason why your message should be at the forefront.

Information: The Body

Write down what information needs to be presented, whether it’s essential text or graphics. Every element should serve the overall purpose of the design.

The Key to a Successful Minimalist Design

White Space

Minimalist designs should have plenty of white space. This empty space doesn’t necessarily have to be white, but the most important part of the page should be surrounded by it. When clutter is minimized, then focusing on and absorbing the content becomes easy.

Typography

Minimalist typography should lead the eye and make the design look professional. The creative use of font size, textures, headings, borders and paragraphs can make a lasting impression on readers. Typography shapes the personality of your design.

Color

Minimalist color schemes go beyond black and white. Don’t stick only to black and white; rather, use colors creatively and intelligently. Color should separate and highlight the most important content on the page from the background.

Effective Use of Images

Images and graphics should be used sparingly. A complex image or irrelevant graphic can distract readers from the focus. Still, infographics have their place; charts and pictures are useful for conveying information. Use infographics with fewer words to convey your message effectively.

Usability and Layout

You may think that creating a minimal design requires less effort because it strips down the flashy images and colors, but this assumption is mistaken. Designing a usable, attractive minimal website takes creativity and imagination. The layout should be unique yet convey the message clearly and concisely. The flow of information should be seamless and easy to absorb.

Find the Balance

One might get the impression that minimalism restricts your design to white space, images, colors and graphics. But there is room for intelligence and imagination. Your aim is to balance and harmonize these elements. The content needs to be broken down to what is absolutely essential. An image should not burden the overall piece. Use an image only when it is in line with the purpose of the page.

Grids Make It Simple

The grid system is a tool that can save you time and help you create a structured layout. It allows you to be creative and minimizes any cluttered images on the page. A grid system helps users navigate your website easily. It is not absolutely necessary, but it will help you to create an effective minimalist design.

Great Examples of Minimalist Design

Less is More, is what a minimal design preaches, but that is under appreciated since it is reduced to its fundamental features which most of them don’t find up to the mark. By the beauty lies in creating a sensible design which appeals to all without nothing being there.ere in this showcase below, we trying to present you exemplary design trends, new practices, creative ideas and designer’s skills and you’ll find a comprehensive collection of Clean and Minimal Web Designs which will give you better understanding of design capabilities as well as inspiration for your site.

31three

Designhotels

Pixelumbrella

Things

Infinvision

Projectfedena

Cappen

204beech

Grandpeople

Minimal Web Design Tutorials

Less is More, is what a minimal design preaches, but that is under appreciated since it is reduced to its fundamental features which most of them don’t find up to the mark. Bu the beauty lies in creating a sensible design which appeals to all without nothing being there. This section provides you with some of the tutorials which give you guidance in creating a minimal design.

Create an Awesome Minimal Design in Photoshop

A step-by-step tutorial of creating a minimal design in Photoshop which uses a 16 column 960 grid with creating separately the top bar, content, arrows and about designing a portfolio slider.

Design a Minimalistic Blog Theme

Simple Portfolio Layout in Photoshop

This tutorial creates a dark-themed minimal web layout for a portfolio design which uses only the basic parts like making the navigation menu, designing the content area and and finally adding the necessary elements.

A Minimalistic Poster Design

Slick and Minimalistic Web Layout

Create a slick and minimal looking website in Photoshop using the 960 grid system as a template to arrange the design elements and adding the navigation, sub-navigation and content for the design elements.

Light and Sleek Minimal Website in Photoshop

A light and sleek minimal website created with 960 grid system and altering the structure, quality, gradients, layers in the initial steps and designing the search bar, making the Recent Projects and Services area.

How to Create a Minimal Design

Find Something Missing?

While writing this article, it’s always a possibility that we missed some other great tips. Feel free to share it with us.

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Meet the Author:

Anders Ross

I'm one of the co-founders of iShift as well as a freelance designer and a web addict from Frankfurt, Germany. I spend too much time in front of the computer and when I actually manage to get away for more than 10 minutes, I am usually reading books, traveling or shooting photos.
Check the latest updates of iShift @instantShift or You can catch me on twitter @indusLogic

21 Comments

Mike Puglielli March 7, 2011

Not a bad article if not over simplified. Couldn’t help but feel like it was overly general and didn’t really mention much in terms of minimal design but instead listed pretty much what all websites should do and that’s “being effective” with all aspects of webdesign.